Switching a Computing Device from a Low-Power State to a High-Power State

1. A method, implemented on a power management processing unit of a computing device, for switching the computing device from a low-power state to a high-power state, the method comprising: receiving, at the power management processing unit distinct from a central processing unit, while the central processing unit of the computing device is in the low-power state, a first audio signal; verifying, by the power management processing unit using audio key detection logic hard-coded within the power management processing unit, that the first audio signal approximately matches one of multiple stored audio signal keys, the audio signal keys being based on voice recordings of multiple users of the computing device; authenticating one of the multiple users based on the matched audio signal key; providing, by the power management processing unit in response to verifying the first audio signal, instructions for: switching the central processing unit of the computing device from the low-power state to the high-power state; instantiating a voice command interface; and providing the first audio signal to the voice command interface to process a voice command from the first audio signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the audio signal key comprises a user-defined audio signal key.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low-power state comprises a sleep mode.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the instructions for switching the central processing unit of the computing device from the low-power state to the high-power state comprise instructions for powering on the central processing unit of the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the instructions for switching the computing device from the low-power state to the high-power state comprise instructions for powering on display of the computing device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low-power state comprises a locked state which prevents access to a user interface for executing one or more software programs and the high-power state comprises an unlocked state which allows access to a user interface for executing one or more software programs.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low-power state comprises the voice command interface of the computing device being disabled.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, at the power management processing unit, a motion signal, wherein the instructions for switching the central processing unit of the computing device from the low-power state to the high-power state is not provided by the power management processing unit in response to the motion signal.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the voice recordings of the multiple users are based on each user speaking an audio signal key one or more times.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting settings on the computing device based on the authenticated user.

11. A power management processing unit of a computing device configured to switch the computing device from a low-power state to a high-power state, the power management processing unit comprising: input logic for receiving, while one or more processors external to the power management processing unit are powered off, a first audio signal; verification logic, hard-coded in the power management processing unit, for verifying that the first audio signal approximately matches one of multiple stored audio signal keys residing within the power management processing unit, the audio signal keys being based on voice recordings of multiple users of the computing device; output logic for providing, in response to verifying the first audio signal, to a power controller of the computing device, instructions for powering on the one or more processors external to the power management processing unit; and second output logic for providing, to a software memory of the computing device, instructions for authenticating one of the multiple users based on the matched audio signal key, instantiating a voice command interface of the client computing device in response to verifying the first audio signal, and instructions for providing the first audio signal to the voice command interface to process a voice command from the first audio signal.

12. The power management processing unit of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors external to the power management processing unit comprise a central processing unit of the computing device.

13. The power management processing unit of claim 11 , wherein a central processing unit of the computing device comprises the one or more processors external to the power management processing unit.

14. The power management processing unit of claim 11 , wherein the audio signal key comprises a user-defined audio signal key.

15. The power management processing unit of claim 11 , further comprising: second output logic for providing, to a software memory of the client computing device, instructions for unlocking a user interface for executing one or more software programs on the computing device in response to verifying the first audio signal.

16. The power management processing unit of claim 11 , wherein the output logic is further for providing, to the power controller of the computing device, instructions for powering on a display of the computing device, in response to verifying the first audio signal.

17. The power management processing unit of claim 11 , wherein the display is powered off immediately prior to receiving the first audio signal.

18. The power management processing unit of claim 11 , further comprising second input logic for receiving, while the one or more processors external to the power management processing unit are powered off, a motion signal, wherein the output logic is not configured to provide, in response to the motion signal, the instructions for powering on the one or more processors external to the power management processing unit.

19. The power management processing unit of claim 11 , wherein the voice recordings of the multiple users are based on each user speaking an audio signal key one or more times.

20. The power management processing unit of claim 11 , wherein the second output logic is further for providing instructions to adjust settings on the computing device based on the authenticated user.